Means for detachably connecting sails to spars



March 31, 1.931. w, Q WQOD 1,798,772

MEANS FOR DETACHABLY CONNECTING SAILS TO SPARS Filed Jan. 6, 1930 2 SheetS--SheetJ l IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEYS.

March 31, 1931. w C; WOQD 1,798,772

MEANS FOR DETACHABLY CONNECTING SAILS IO SPARS Filed Jan. 6, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEYS? Patented Mar. 31, 1931 WALTER C. WOOD, F EDGEWOOD, RHODE SLAND MEANS FOR DETACI-ABLY GONNECTNG SAILS T0 SPAIBiS Application filed January 6, 19i30. Serial No. 418,693.

This invention relates to improved means i'or detachably connecting sails to spare or 'the lilre; and has for its object to provide a cooperating removable section of track on i the spar-s into which a set of the slides on the sail may be assembled when the sail is liurled, which section when removed with the sail serves to retain these slides in their proper assembled relation so that when the sail is again being bent these track sections are readily repositioned on the spare and the slides conducted therefrom onto the fixed -,ctions of the track.

The invention `further consists in constructing the removable section of the rail to perform the 'lunction ci a magazine and in a trough shape oi a length 'to receive a lull set oi the sail slides, and to provide stop means in the magazine to prevent accidental removal of the sail slides stored therein7 while the magazine and the sail are removed trom the spars.

rl`he invention further consists in the provision of means whereby the positioning of the magasine section at the end of the main track, automatically withdrmvs the retaining stop therein permitting the sail slides to be lreely conducted therefrom onto the main truck section. y lilith these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described, and parti ularly pointed out in the appended claims.

lin the accompanying drawings:

liig. l is a view representing a boat with the sails in stretched condition.

llig. 2 is an enlarged view showing the sail in partially stretched condition with the e0 magazine track sections at the inner ends the main tracli sections.

Fig. shows the sail in furled condition with its slides stored in the magazine sec` tions of the track.

el an enlarged view of the magazine section of the track as mounted in its end guiding and retaining members with its stop pin at one end withdrawn.

lfig. 5 shows the magazine section oit the track partly withdrawn with its lower end swung to one side of its retaining member and its upper end nearly removed `from its retaining member, and its stop pin as havsprung back into position to retain the slides therein.

Fig.` 6 shows the magazine section of the track as completely removed and filled with the sail slide members, the stop pins at either end ot' this maga-zine being positioned to retain these sail slides in proper assembled relation.

Figui is a perspective view showing a short lengthof the trough-shaped magazine portion broken away to expose the stop pin'y in operative position therein. i

Fig. 8 is a. perspective View showing Ia` short section oi' the substantially T-shaped guide rail on which the sail slidesrun.

Fig. 9 `is a perspective view showing the retaining member for the outer end of the magazine section, and illustrating the cam on one side thereof for automatically withdrawing the stop pin of the magazine as the saine is positioned. l l

Fig. l() is a perspective view showing` the lock member for receiving andretaining the inner end of the magazinesection.

Fig. l1 is a section on line ll-ll of Fig. 6, showing the stop pin or member at `the inner end oi the magazine section. y

Fig. l2 shows the removablestop pin at the outer end of the magazine section.

llig. 13 is a perspective view of one of the sail slides which may run on the slide rail and also run into and be stored in the magazine section.

It is found in practice that where sails are furled on t spars, exposure toheat and moisture often causes them to mildew vand so weaken the sails and injure their appearance, and therefore it has become the practice, particularly on small racing yachts having eX- pensive sails, to remove the saine from the spars aiter each days use topermit of better care and afi'ordgreater protection; and in order to faisilitate 'the ready removal of the sails from the spare, have provided a de-r tacliable rail section at'the end of the ,fixed railsection on the spare and ontoorinto this removable section the sail slides may run,

so that as the sails are lowered the set of slides on the hoist will be conducted automatically into their removable section, and those on the :toot may be slid inward along the booir into their section. Provisions are made on each removable section for locking its slides therein when the sections are being removed with the sails from the spars, whereby these slides are caused to remain in their exact assembled relation or order so that when it is desiree to again bend the sail, it is only necessary to reset these removable rail sections in their proper position on their respective spars and the slides are accurately guided to again run onto their lined rail sections il ,-roper order without the possibility oi a sf slide being` left off or misplaced on its rail. iilso by the use of my improved device, should occasion require, the particular size ot sail being used, may be quickly changed for one of smaller size instead of reciting, if desired; and the following is a detailed description of the present embodiment ot my invention and showing one means by which these advantageous results may be accomplished r `With reference to the drawings, l designates the mast and 11 the boom on the boat 12 on each of which is secured a main rail section 13 to extend substantially the length thereof. This rail i's usually in somewhat of a T-orm, as best illustrated in Fig 3, and is secured tothe spars by means of screws 1d, the heads of which are set in the channel lalong the center of its rail.

ln order to provide simple and effective means for securing the sail to the spars, slide members 16 of the shape best illustrated in Fig. 13, are attached in spaced relation along the edges of the sail both along the hoist to run on the mast rail and along the foot to run on the boom rail.

ln order to detach these slides from their respective rails, it has heretofore been the custom to leave the inner end of the rails free and run the slides oil of this end and when it was desired to again bend the sail these slides were laboriously threaded onto the ends of their respective rails and often times one side of one would not be threaded and in some instances they would not be threaded in their proper order onto their rails, in which case if it happended to be one oit the iirst or the series that was omitted the whole would have to be removed `and the operation repeated to the great annoyance of sections the slides may be readily run andA then these sections removed from the spars along'witn the sail. These removable sectio; s may be made 1n suitable form but f l preferably make them trough shaped and each of a size to receive and ret-ain a set of the sail slides. In order to facilitate the removal ot these magazine sections, I have arovided an outer retaining socket member 1i" which comprises a base late 18 arranged to be secured to the spar Jy screws 17a at the inner end of the main rail section. This retaining socket has side walls 19 with over hanging iianges 20, the entering end between these side walls being flaring as at 21 to better receive and guide the outer end 22 of the magazine section thereinto. One wall at the entering end of this retaining socket is provided with a cam-shaped protuberance 23 for the purpose presently described. Also, l have provided a socket 2e for receiving and retaining the in' er end of the magazine, the same having a base plate 25 adapted to be permanently secured by screws 25a to the spar, r:Chis magazine end retaining socket is provir ed with a lock cam 26 housed in the box-shaped portion 27, the cam being pivoted at 23 therein provided with an eX- tending ope handle 29 pressed onto operative posi `on by a compression spring 30.

The trough-shaped magazine sections 31 are each of a length su'licient to receive all 01'" is mounted on a spring plate 34 attached at.

one end by screws 35 to thek sideof the magazine, ythe opposite end 36 of the plate being turned outwardly to ride over the cam 23 when this magazine is pushed up into position in its outer socket as illustrated in Fig. ll, for the purpose ot withdrawing the stop pin 33 to permit the sail slides 16 to be run from the magazine out onto theirguide rail. W' hen the inner end of this magazine section has been pushed into its outer retaining socket a suliicient distance, its inner end is swung inwardly into its socket 24 causing the cam 26 to compress itsspring 30 and slide thereover and when carried back against the wall 37 this cam will spring back into the position illustrated in Fig. 4 to lock and retain the inner end of this magazine iirnily in position.

By the use of my improved detachable rail sections, when it is desired to remove the sail from Vitsspars, it is only necessary to lower the lsail vwhich causes the guides on the hoist to slide into its magazine section and to release the boom haul out, and run the slides along the boom track into its magazine section; then each of these two removable sections, by operating the cam lever 29, may be readily released and removed from its respective socket, the removing action of the magazine automatically releasing the stop pin 30 causing it to snap inwardly to prevent inadvertent withdrawing of the slides from their respective magazines. The sail with` its assembled slides may now be deposited into the bag, carried ashore and hung in a dry place, and When it is desired to air the sail it is only necessary to suspend the same, the lolds being suiiiciently loose, so that when exposed to the air and sun all portions are readily dried and When it is desired to again bend the sail it is only necessary to take it aboard the boat and snap the two magazines into their respective sockets, which antomatically unlocks or removes the outer retaining members permitting the slides to be freely run out onto the rails of their respective spare Without` any possibility of their getting out of their proper order or getting tree from their rails.

The foregoing description is directed solely towards the construction illustrated, but l desire it to be understood that l reserve the privilege of resortingl to all the mechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the inventionbeing delined and limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

l claim:

l. A device tor detachably connectingsails to spare or the like, comprising a set ot at taching members secured to the sail in spaced relation, means on the spars for controlling the pathof travel of said members as the sail is being stretched and furled, and removable means positioned in the path of travel of said members for receiving and retaining said attaching members in proper assembled relation when the sail is furled and removed from the spars.

A'device for detachably connecting sails to spars or the like, comprising slides attached to the sail in spaced relation, a tivo-part slide guide on the spar, one part of the guide being arranged to receive and retain the slides when assembled, and means for removing said retaining part With the assembled slides.

3. A device for detachably connecting sails to spars or the like, comprising` a set of slides attached to the sail in spaced relation, a tWo part slide track carried by the spar, one part oli said track being detachably connected to the spar, said detachable part being of a lengtl'i to receive a set of slides when assembled.

A device for detachably connecting sails to spars or the like, comprising a set of slides attached to the sail in spaced relation, a tvvopart slide track carried by the spar, one part ot said track being detachably connected to the spar, said detachable part being of a length to receive a set of slides When assembled, and means in said removable part for retaining said slides in proper relation when these parts and the sail are removed from the spars.

5. A device for detacbably connecting sails to spars or the like, comprising slides on the sail, a` guide rail on the spar arrangedto receive the slides, said rail having a readily removable section arranged to receive and retain the sail slides When assembled.

6. A device for detachably connecting sails to spars or the like, comprising slides on the sail, a guide rail on the spar arranged to receive the slides, said rail having a readily removable section arranged to receive the sail slides When assembled, and means in said removable section for releasably retaining the slide members in proper assembled relation when the sail rail section is removed from the spars.

7. A device for detachably connecting sails to spare or the like, comprising slides on the sail, a guide rail on the spar arranged to receive the slides, said rail having a readily removable section arranged to receive and retain the sail slides when assembled, andmeans for automatically locking the slides to said removable section vvhen the same is removed `from slide receiving position on the spar.

8. A device for detachably connectingsails to spars or the like, comprising slides on the t sail, a guide rail on the spar arranged to receive the slides, said rail having a readily removable section arranged to receive and retain the sail slides when assembled,imeans for automatically locking the slides to `said removable section ivhen the same is removed from slide receiving position on the spar, and means for automatically releasing the slides when said section is replaced in Working position. p

9. A device for attaching` sails to spars or the like, comprising slides attached in spaced relation along the margin ot' the sail, a rail section onthe spare to receive the slides, and a magazine removably mounted at the end of the rail in which `the slides may be assembled Whenthe sail is furled. y Y .g

l0.` A` device `tor detachably connecting sails to-spars or the like, comprising slides attachedin spaced relation along` the margin of the sail, a iiXed rail section on the spars on which the slides may run, a rail extension magazine section removably mounted at the end ot the fixed section in which the slides may be assembled when the sail is furled, and means in the magazine section for retaining the slides in assembled` order When removed with the sail from the spar.

l1. AJ device for detachablyconnecting sails to spars or the like, comprising slides attachedin spaced relation alongV the margin ofthe sail, a main rail section `on the spar on which the slides may run, a rail extension magazine removably mounted at the end o' A the rail invvhich the slides may be assembled When the sail is furled, and means for automatically lockingthe slides in the magazine When the latter is removed from slidereceiving position on the spar.

lili) iso l2. A device for detachably connecting sails to spars or the like, comprising slides attached in spaced relation along the margin of the sail, a rail on the spars to receive the slides, a trough-shaped section removably mounted at the end of the rail providing a magazine in `Which the slides may be assembled when the sail is furled, means for automatically iocking the slides in the magazine when the latter is removed from slide receiving position on the spar, and means Jfor automatically releasing said slides to be Withdrawn from the magazine upon replacing the magazine in operating position on the spar.

13. A device for detachably connecting sails to spars or the like, comprising a set o'l slides on the sail, a main track section carried by the spar for removing said slides, and means on the spar for detachably connecting a slide receiving magazine track section to the spar at the end of said main track section.

14. A device for detachably connecting sails to spars or thelike, comprising a set of slides on the sail, a. slide track on the spar, means on the spar for detachably connecting a slide receiving` magazine to the spar at the end of the'rail, and stop members in the magazine for retaining the slides therein When removed Vfrom the spar. Y

l5. A device for l detachably connecting sails to spare, comprising slides attached in spaced relation along the margin of the sail, a T-shaped rail section on the spars on Which the slides may run, and a trough-shaped magazine rail extension section in Which the slides may be stored, and means for removably mounting said trough section at the end of the rail in which the' slides may be assembled When the sail is furled.

16. A device for detachably connecting sails to spars or the like, comprising a set of slides on the sail, a slide track on the spar, means on the spar for detachably connecting a slide receiving magazine to the spar at the end of the rail, stop members in the magazine for retaining the slides therein when removed fromk the spar, and a cam for automatically withdrawing one of said stops to permit the Withdrawal and .entrance of the slides when the magazine is positioned on the spar.

17. A device for detachably 'securing sails to spars or the like, comprising a set of slides on the sail, a main slide track on the spar, spaced holding members at one end of the main track, and a short section of slide storing track removablyretained in said holding members.

18. A device for detachably securing sailsy the removable track section for locking the slides thereon When removed from the mast.

19. A device for detachably securing sails to spars or the like, comprising a set of slides on the sail, a slide track on the spars, spaced members at one end of the track, a short section of slide storing track removably retained in said members, stop means at the ends of the removabie track section for locking the slides thereon when removed -from the mast, and a cam on one oi' said members arranged to ithdraiv the stop means to permit the Withdrawal of the slides when thc magazine is positioned in said members.

20. A device for detachably securing sails to spare or the like, comprising a set of slides en the sail, a slide track on the spars, spaced members at one end of the track, a short section of trough-shaped slide storing track removabl),v retained in said members, stop means a the ends oi the removable track section for locking the slides therein when removed from the mast, a cam onone of said members arranged to Withdraw the stop means to permit the Withdrawal of the slides When the magazine is positioned in said members, and a lock in the other of said sections for releasably securing the magazine in operative position.

in testimony whereof ai'iix my signature.

VALTER C. VOOD.v

members at one end of the track, a short seci tion 01"' slide storing track removably retained in said members, stop means at the ends of lit 

